49ers’ Trent Baalke gets 3-year contract extension

Niners GM Trent Baalke was signed to a three-year contract extension Friday. (AP)

Niners CEO Jed York drew criticism last year for hiring in-house candidate Trent Baalke as general manager after what appeared to be a less-than-exhaustive search.

Thirteen months later, there was no public carping Friday after York announced that he’d signed Baalke to a three-year contract extension that will run through the 2016 season. The move smacked of inevitability after Baalke netted a stellar draft class and made a series of deft moves in free agency that helped set the stage for the 49ers‘ 13-3 regular season. Baalke was named Executive of the Year by Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association.

In announcing Baalke’s extension via Twitter, York could even joke about the ease with which they came to an agreement.

“Contentious contract negotiation w/ Trent over dinner,” he wrote. “Didn’t finalize terms until after we finished the chips & salsa.”

York also announced that he’s handed over the title of team president to Gideon Yu, who, he said, was also a minority owner. Yu was sold a 1 percent stake in the team, the San Jose Mercury News reported in December. Hired as the team’s chief strategy officer in April, Yu is the former chief financial officer at Facebook and YouTube. He will be responsible for all business operations, which includes the construction of a new stadium in Santa Clara, scheduled to open by 2015.

Baalke’s extension gives further stability to a franchise that has AP NFL Coach of the Year Jim Harbaugh signed through 2015.

Baalke was the team’s interim general manager in 2010, but he was given full control of the 53-man roster this past season. San Francisco’s 10-man draft class featured nine players who are still with the team. Included in that haul is first-round pick Aldon Smith, the runner-up for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, and significant contributors in cornerback Chris Culliver (third round), running back Kendall Hunter (fourth round) and fullback Bruce Miller, a seventh-round pick who emerged as a starter.

In free agency last year, the Niners signed three players to multiyear contracts in safety Donte Whitner, center Jonathan Goodwin and placekicker David Akers, and each appears to be a solid investment. In addition, San Francisco signed cornerback Carlos Rogers, who delivered a career year that included his first Pro Bowl berth.

They also let veteran linebacker Takeo Spikes walk away in free agency, believing NaVorro Bowman was ready to assume a starting role. Bowman was named a first-team All Pro in his second season.

One of the team’s few missteps was signing wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who was waived Dec. 27 after an unproductive and injury-plagued season.